Liberals don’t listen. They think conservatives are selfish and evil. That explains this response to Laura Ingram saying “greed it good”

The conservative radio talk show host said, in defense of investment bankers who are now in the doghouse: “Greed is good for America.” I thought I misheard her, but then she said it again: “Greed is good for America.”

At last the conservatives have come up with a slogan that tells the truth about what they really believe in. Not jobs for the working class. Not regulation to prevent predatory lending. Not oversight to curb excessive speculation. Not the public good.

Just good old-fashioned greed. (link)

What liberals fail to understand about conservatives is that conservatives think everyone does better as a whole when we look out for our own self interest. Adam Smith described the “invisible hand” where individual pursuits unintentionally benefited society. An example from the “Wealth of Nations” describes the Butcher, the Baker, and the Brewer. Each provide goods and services to each other out of self-interest (or greed); the unplanned result of this division of labor is a better standard of living for all three.

A little known story about the Pilgrims brings is a real world example of this theory. When the Pilgrims first traveled to the New World, they experimented with a new system where the food was to be shared from common fields. They almost starved until they changed to an ownership society based on self interest. The governor William Bradford wrote

For this community … was found to breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men, that were most able and fit for labour and service, did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompense. The strong … had no more in division of victuals and clothes than he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought injustice…. Upon … all being to have alike, and all to do alike, they thought … one as good as another, and so … did … work diminish … the mutual respects that should be preserved amongst men…. Let none object this is men’s corruption … all men have this corruption in them… (link)

Today, we would bail the Pilgrims out with money confiscated from productive people…and they would continue in their unproductive socialist ways.

I did not hear Laura Ingrams show, so I don’t know what followed the “greed” comment. I have listened to Laura’s show in the past, so I am sure she explained her position. You will notice that this particular liberal doesn’t even get that far. As soon as “Greed is good” came out of her mouth, he stopped listening. He neither presents her argument or tries to refute it. He is uninterested and didn’t listen.

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